What does an UPDATE statement do after execution in SQL?

Prepare for the WGU BUS2770 D467 Exploring Data Exam. Dive into interactive quizzes and insightful flashcards, each featuring detailed explanations to optimize your learning experience, and get exam-ready!

Multiple Choice

What does an UPDATE statement do after execution in SQL?

Explanation:
An UPDATE statement changes data in existing rows by setting new values for selected columns based on a condition. It identifies which rows to modify with a condition (the WHERE clause) and then assigns new values to one or more columns using SET. The effect is that the old data in those cells is replaced with the new values. If you omit the WHERE clause, every row in the table gets updated, which is often not what you want. After execution, the database reports how many rows were changed, and you can often return the updated values in some systems. This operation is intermediate to data manipulation: it doesn’t insert new rows, delete rows, or create backups.

An UPDATE statement changes data in existing rows by setting new values for selected columns based on a condition. It identifies which rows to modify with a condition (the WHERE clause) and then assigns new values to one or more columns using SET. The effect is that the old data in those cells is replaced with the new values. If you omit the WHERE clause, every row in the table gets updated, which is often not what you want. After execution, the database reports how many rows were changed, and you can often return the updated values in some systems. This operation is intermediate to data manipulation: it doesn’t insert new rows, delete rows, or create backups.

More practice questions